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Reviews
St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
Perhaps One Must Be of a Certain Age....
Perhaps one must be of a certain age to truly appreciate this film. The "self-absorbed" comments seem to spring, in my mind, from older (middle-aged or elderly) viewers, or maybe just from grad students who are frightened that their prof may be reading their dissertation on this film.
In my experience as a 30 year old woman, most young people who are in their twenties are self-absorbed. I think it's a natural and necessary part of thriving in the current United States' culture. I saw this movie in my late teens, and it made a tremendous emotional impact on me. I did not see the characters as shallow, superficial, or selfish, but just as regular people like myself and my friends.
Even now that I have left my twenties, I can go back and still appreciate St. Elmo's Fire; not just for the 80's nostalgia (though that is a big draw, I must admit) but because I perceive the characters as living stories that I can identify with in parts. Especially as a slightly more mature adult, I can look back and say, "Yeah, I remember going through that." or "I knew someone like that five years ago." St. Elmo's Fire will always have a place in my heart for what it represents to my generation, and to the generation that actually came of age during the film's premiere. Maybe one had to grow up in the 80's - whether in childhood or adolescence - to enjoy St. Elmo's Fire.
Okay. So it's not timeless. Who cares? There are some great scenes in this flick and it's a fun watch, even though it always makes me cry.
Hustle & Flow (2005)
Mediocre, Boring, and Poorly Written
This film - intended to be a character study of a pimp who has a dream of becoming a rapper, and the prostitutes who live with him in Memphis, TN - could have been powerfully rendered with sensitivity and realism. Instead it was filled with clichés, weak dialog, and the overall aura of an ABC After School Special. The cinematography is also sub-par: there's not even a visual aspect to cling to in this middle-brow mess.
As a person who grew up in the South and who has actually been to Tennesee on many occasions, I absolutely do not agree with the opinion that this movie accurately depicts Memphis.
This movie glorifies stupidity and mediocrity, not only in it's subject matter but in the manner in which the film was executed. While some of the music is excellent, the rap "hit" (Whoop That Trick) at the core of the plot is generic, the beats overly simple, and the lyrics could have been written by anyone lacking talent.
In conclusion, "Hustle and Flow" screams "made for television."